This invention relates to an internal combustion engine and more particularly to an improved coolant manifold for such engine.
As is well known, internal combustion engines generally comprise an engine body that defines one or more combustion chambers in which combustion occurs. The combustion chambers are defined by a movable element, such as a piston, that is connected to an output shaft, such as a crankshaft, by a suitable mechanism for providing a power output from the engine. A load may be either driven directly from this engine crankshaft or from an auxiliary shaft that is driven from the engine crankshaft.
Normally, at least an intake air charge is delivered to the combustion chambers of the engine through an induction system and the combustion products are discharged from the combustion chambers through an exhaust system. Some type of valving mechanism is employed for controlling the communication of the combustion chamber with the intake system and the exhaust system and this frequently involves a valve actuating shaft that is driven by the engine output shaft. Many times, the valve actuating shaft comprises one or more camshafts which operate poppet type valves through a suitable follower mechanism for controlling the communication.
Most conveniently, the drive for the valve operating shaft is located at one end of the engine and frequently employs a flexible transmitter such as a chain or belt. By positioning this valve actuating driving mechanism at one of the engine, servicing is facilitated.
In most applications, the engine is also watered cooled and hence, the engine body is formed with one or more cooling jackets which communicate with an external heat exchanger. This involves the provision of coolant inlet and outlet openings in the engine body for deliver and discharging the coolant from these cooling jackets.
Quite often, at least one of these passages is disposed at an end of the engine and many times at the same engine where the valve actuating shaft is driven. In fact, it is not uncommon for the flexible transmitter to circumscribe an area around this coolant opening.
It is desirable if the valve operating drive and particularly the flexible transmitter is covered by some form of cover. Thus, the conduitry for conveying coolant to or from the coolant opening in the engine body is also circumscribed by the flexible transmitter. This gives rise to certain problems both in connection with coolant sealing, containment of the flexible transmitter in a protected relationship and also servicing the various components.
Normally, the flexible transmitter is substantially or primarily enclosed by a belt or chain cover and the conduit for communicating the coolant with the engine cooling jacket passes through this cover. This means that the coolant must be drained and the flexible connections to the cooling system removed in order to facilitate servicing of the flexible transmitter. This obviously makes servicing more difficult.
Also, this type of arrangement, as should be readily apparent, requires sealing around not only the coolant passages but also the area surrounding them so as to prevent foreign materials from entering in the valve actuating shaft drive.
It is, therefore, a principal object of this invention to provide an improved coolant manifold arrangement for an engine that will cooperate with the flexible transmitter drive for the valve actuating shaft to permit coolant interchange without requiring removal of the coolant connections for servicing of the flexible transmitter.
It is a further object of this invention to provide an improved coolant manifold for an engine that is juxtaposed to the flexible transmitter drive of the engine and which, itself, functions at least in part as a cover for the flexible transmitter.
It is a further object of this invention to provide an improved flexible transmitter drive cover arrangement for an engine that is associated with the engine cooling system and which has a coolant manifold that covers part of the flexible transmitter and a drive cover that covers the remainder of the flexible transmitter so that either the coolant manifold and/or the drive cover can be removed independently of the other for servicing of the appropriate components.